N3 · 40 words

Family milestones

Births, weddings, moving house, caring for parents and the family members each event brings.

Japanese family words keep track of order and position: the eldest son, the eldest daughter, the youngest and the only child each have a word of their own, and 実家(じっか) — the house you grew up in — stays your parents' home long after you have left it. Going back there at New Year or in summer is 帰省(きせい), a word that fills the news every holiday season. For a death, 亡(な)くなる is the polite verb; 死(し)ぬ said of a family member sounds blunt.

The words

Verb (6)

産むto give birth to; to have (a baby)VerbN3

母(はは)は私(わたし)を産(う)んだ病院(びょういん)で、今(いま)は看護師(かんごし)として働(はたら)いている。My mother now works as a nurse at the hospital where she gave birth to me.

The baby is the object; being born is 生(う)まれる.

名付けるto name; to callVerbN3

娘(むすめ)は春(はる)に生(う)まれたので、「さくら」と名付(なづ)けた。Our daughter was born in spring, so we named her Sakura.

育つto grow up; to be raisedVerbN3

私(わたし)は海(うみ)の近(ちか)くの小(ちい)さな町(まち)で育(そだ)った。I grew up in a small town near the sea.

Raising a child is 育(そだ)てる.

引っ越すto move (house)VerbN4

子供(こども)が生(う)まれたので、広(ひろ)い部屋(へや)に引(ひ)っ越(こ)した。Our child was born, so we moved to a bigger flat.

The noun is 引(ひ)っ越(こ)し.

亡くなるto die; to pass awayVerbN4

祖父(そふ)が亡(な)くなって、もう三年(さんねん)になる。It's been three years since my grandfather passed away.

The polite way to say 死(し)ぬ; losing a thing is なくなる in kana.

継ぐto take over; to succeed to (a family business)VerbN3

兄(あに)は大学(だいがく)を出(で)たあと、父(ちち)の店(みせ)を継(つ)いだ。After university my older brother took over our father's shop.

This list belongs to Tradition, culture and belief — five lists and 204 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.